Methods, architectures and security mechanisms for a third-party application to access content in a cloud-based platform
Techniques are disclosed for methods, architectures and security mechanisms for a third-party application to access content in a cloud-based platform. In one embodiment, a method includes, providing a third-party application with direct access to content in a cloud-based environment. The third-party application is hosted by an entity different from that of the cloud-based environment. In some embodiments, the direct access to the content in the cloud-based environment is provided to the third-party application and accomplished without a need to access an application that is native to the cloud-based environment.
1. A method comprising:
launching a third-party application using a controlled launching user interface associated with a cloud-based environment;
providing the third-party application with a direct access to content in the cloud-based environment;
wherein, the direct access restricts the third-party application to save the content edited using the third-party application to the cloud-based environment;
wherein the direct access to the content includes collaborating on the content in the cloud-based environment among multiple collaborators of the cloud-based environment;
wherein, the direct access is provided through integration of the third-party application with an application program interface (API) or web API provided by the cloud-based environment; and
wherein, the third-party application is hosted by an entity different from that of the cloud-based environment.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the direct access to the content in the cloud-based environment is provided to the third-party application and accomplished without a need to access an application that is native to the cloud-based environment.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the direct access further restricts the third-party application to direct retrieval of the content from the cloud-based environment.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the direct access to the content includes previewing the content in the cloud-based environment.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the direct access is provided in response to a request to access the content in the cloud-based environment from a user via a web-interface.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the request includes a ticket that is to automatically expire after a period of time.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the request is transmitted from the third-party application.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third-party application is one of a plurality of third-party applications available for a user to select.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the direct access is provided through a web interface of the third party application.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for one or more of navigation, file management, file transfer, collaboration in the cloud-based environment.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for caching in the cloud-based environment.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting an authentication token to the third-party application after a user's identity is verified.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content is encrypted, and wherein the authentication token includes a decryption key to decrypt the content.
14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
keeping a history of the access, the history including at least information regarding which third-party application accessed what content.
15. A system comprising
one or more processors;
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
send, by a third-party application, a request to access content in a cloud-based platform;
gain, by the third-party application, a direct access to the content in the cloud-based platform;
wherein, the direct access is provided through integration of the third-party application with an application program interface (API) or web API provided by the cloud-based environment;
wherein the direct access to the content allows the third-party application to receive the content from a server hosting the cloud-based platform for preview or manipulation;
wherein the direct access to the content restricts a saving or sharing function of the third-party application to save the content after manipulation in the cloud-based platform;
wherein, the third-party application is launched using a controlled launching user interface associated with the cloud-based environment; and
wherein, the direct access to the content in the cloud-based environment is provided to the third-party application and accomplished without a need to access an application that is native to the cloud-based environment.
16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one of the processors, further cause the system to:
receive an authentication token from the server after a user's identity is verified;
detect presence of the authentication token;
wherein the user's identity is not verified again if the authentication token is present during a subsequent request to access the cloud-based environment.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the content is encrypted, wherein the authentication token includes a decryption key to decrypt the content, wherein the request includes a ticket that is to automatically expire after a period of time.
18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the request includes a ticket that is to automatically expire after a period of time.
19. The system of claim 15 , wherein the third-party application is one of a plurality of third-party applications available for a user to select.
20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed by at least one of the processors, further cause the system to:
keep a history of the access, the history including at least information regarding which of the plurality of third-party applications accessed what content.
21. The system of claim 15 , wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for one or more of navigation, file management, file transfer, collaboration in the cloud-based environment.
22. The system of claim 15 , wherein, the application program interface or the web API is further used for caching in the cloud-based environment.
23. A system comprising:
one or more processors;
a memory coupled to the one or more processors and having stored thereon instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:
launch a third-party application using a controlled launching user interface associated with a cloud-based environment;
provide the third-party application with a direct access to content in the cloud-based environment;
wherein, the direct access restricts the third-party application to save the content edited using the third-party application to the cloud-based environment;
wherein the direct access to the content includes collaborating on the content in the cloud-based environment among multiple collaborators of the cloud-based environment;
wherein, the direct access is provided through integration of the third-party application with an application program interface (API) or web API provided by the cloud-based environment; and
wherein, the third-party application is hosted by an entity different from that of the cloud-based environment.